How can Tiger's yardages from 120 and in be so off?

[chriskzoo]

I know it's a new swing over the last 2 years, but I find it mind boggling that he is consistently coming up 10-15 yards short on his wedge shots.  Hell, I'm only an 8.0 index and I can pretty much stick it on a number (or within a couple) from 60-120 yards based on 1/2 and 3/4 swings with my 4 wedges.  I'm sure some if it is trying to hit a spot an expecting a certain amount of rollout that might not always happen, but it seems like he didn't get anything close this week.

[bwdial]

Johnny Miller made the point that Tiger doesn't adjust well when the greens change.  What I saw on Saturday bore this out.  He seemed to be hitting shots short, expecting them to release as they had the two previous days, and they didn't.  I also still don't think he's as comfortable with his new swing, and that really shows in his short game.

[zipazoid]

According to Tiger he is sooo close. So our lying eyes are deceiving us when his wedges come up 30 short.

[Mr3Wiggle]

He was also playing one of the hardest course setups known to man.  Also, the way coverage shows Tiger's every shot we see the good and the bad.  For the most of the other guys we only see their great shots or guys in the lead that are in the zone.  How often do they show every shot for someone else when they aren't really in contention?

I think that course wore Tiger down.  On Friday after his approach on 17 landed 20 yards in front of the green and ended up 30 yards behind the green that he thought the setup was garbage.

[JaxGolfer1]

It's a process.........

[BEAN]

So many positives to take away from this tournament.

[bwdial]

Originally Posted by Mr3Wiggle

He was also playing one of the hardest course setups known to man.  Also, the way coverage shows Tiger's every shot we see the good and the bad.  For the most of the other guys we only see their great shots or guys in the lead that are in the zone.  How often do they show every shot for someone else when they aren't really in contention?

I think that course wore Tiger down.  On Friday after his approach on 17 landed 20 yards in front of the green and ended up 30 yards behind the green that he thought the setup was garbage.

Everyone else had to play the same set-up, didn't they?

[iacas]

Post #2 nails it.

[Mr3Wiggle]

Originally Posted by bwdial

Everyone else had to play the same set-up, didn't they?

Sure.  And he played better than most.  Made the cut, was in the lead for awhile.  Just didn't work out.

[Zeph]

The Memorial is a better indication than the last two days this week. He's still off here and there, but when he knows the course, he can hit it on the number.

[bwdial]

Originally Posted by Mr3Wiggle

Sure.  And he played better than most.  Made the cut, was in the lead for awhile.  Just didn't work out.

Because he didn't adjust to the conditions.  It's like hitting a 60 degree wedge into a gale force wind, watching it drop halfway between you and the green and saying "it didn't work out."

[Mr3Wiggle]

Originally Posted by bwdial

Because he didn't adjust to the conditions.  It's like hitting a 60 degree wedge into a gale force wind, watching it drop halfway between you and the green and saying "it didn't work out."

I know I heard Johnny Miller say it over and over and over and over again all weekend.  My original comment was about how you see all of Tiger's shots and not just his good ones.  As is the case for the rest of the tour except when they are playing great.  I know you want to hate on Tiger, but he wasn't as bad as some want to say.  Really tough course, no one broke par, and he appeared to lose his patience.  Bad shots happened.  It's golf.

If anything I'd say Tiger's ability to grind it out on a really tough course has diminished.

[Clambake]

Originally Posted by BEAN

So many positives to take away from this tournament.

Tiger had a lot of positives:    +2, +3, +5, +6, +7...........

[Mr3Wiggle]

Originally Posted by Clambake

Tiger had a lot of positives:    +2, +3, +5, +6, +7...........

So did every other player in the field.  I guess it's a testament to his greatness how people come out of the woodwork to bash him after he finishes T-21 in the US Open.

[Wansteadimp]

Originally Posted by Mr3Wiggle

I know I heard Johnny Miller say it over and over and over and over again all weekend.  My original comment was about how you see all of Tiger's shots and not just his good ones.  As is the case for the rest of the tour except when they are playing great.  I know you want to hate on Tiger, but he wasn't as bad as some want to say.  Really tough course, no one broke par, and he appeared to lose his patience.  Bad shots happened.  It's golf.

If anything I'd say Tiger's ability to grind it out on a really tough course has diminished.

I'm pleaseantly surprised Tiger hasn't been flamed more.

I was expecting it to get to the equal but opposite of the "he's back, no one can touch him" gibberish that was coming out on Friday.

He played really well on a hard course for 2 days and then didn't play well on a really hard course for 2 days, trying to extrapolate anything from that is pure guess work.

[lostine]

He wasn't sharp on the weekend, but that doesn't necessarily mean he can't eventually get there with the new swing.  He's just not there yet.

[bwdial]

Originally Posted by Mr3Wiggle

I know I heard Johnny Miller say it over and over and over and over again all weekend.  My original comment was about how you see all of Tiger's shots and not just his good ones.  As is the case for the rest of the tour except when they are playing great.  I know you want to hate on Tiger, but he wasn't as bad as some want to say.  Really tough course, no one broke par, and he appeared to lose his patience.  Bad shots happened.  It's golf.

If anything I'd say Tiger's ability to grind it out on a really tough course has diminished.

He was in the final pairing on Saturday at the U.S. Open.  I think it's safe to say we're going to see every shot he hits.

On Sunday, I saw very little of what he did, and most of it was the birdies he rolled in late to pull it back to seven over.  In all fairness, I missed some of the early coverage for Father's Day grub at a Greek restaurant.

[Mr3Wiggle]

Originally Posted by Wansteadimp

I'm pleaseantly surprised Tiger hasn't been flamed more.

I was expecting it to get to the equal but opposite of the "he's back, no one can touch him" gibberish that was coming out on Friday.

He played really well on a hard course for 2 days and then didn't play well on a really hard course for 2 days, trying to extrapolate anything from that is pure guess work.

I wonder if anyone has any hard numbers?  Like Tiger's average proximity to the hole on GIRs vs the rest of the field.